Titans Rising
by Girl of Twilight Wings
Summary: Dick Grayson, Anna Marcus, Kori Andrews, Rachel Roth, Garfield Logam, and Victor Stone are all just teenagers in high school. Anna however, is a genius hacker who can get into the pentagon and out without even being detected, and when she stumbles upon the plans of an organization called the Brotherhood of evil, they develop superpowers and become the Titans. AU and OOC.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

**Hello! This is a new type of story for me, since I don't usually change everything so much. Anyways, this is going to be really OOC, and an AU story, and I will include an OC, just in case you don't know or if you don't like this style of writing. Anyways, enjoy!**

* * *

Jump City CA

My name is Anna Lilly Marcus.

I am a sixteen year old girl in high school with brown hair and brown eyes which sometimes change colors to green or hazel. I have tan skin and freckles all over my face when all of my friends lost theirs. I stand five feet seven inches tall and am an accomplished athlete in track, volleyball, basketball, cross country, swimming, lacrosse, skiing, and martial arts. I even have a black belt.

Biology is not my strong suit.

I'm doing a report on marine biology, and embarrassingly, the only person who CAN do biology is one of the world's worst students with an F in almost everything: Garfield Logan.

Of course, my best friend Richard Grayson, adopted son of multi-billionaire Bruce Wayne, is here too. For some reason, he has decided to go across the country, from Gotham City to Jump City, just to get away from Bruce.

He, also, is waiting on Gar to show up.

Richard, more commonly known as Dick, has black spiky hair, pale skin, and stunning blue eyes that attracts the gaze of most girls in school. I'm his friend because they don't make me want to drool over him. He's tall, a bit taller than me at five feet nine inches, and is also an accomplished athlete in track and martial arts with a black belt.

Kori Andrews, his girlfriend, (only because she sees his personality more than his appearance), is here. She's incredibly tall at six feet and four inches tall, only outdone by our other friend Victor stone's six feet nine inches tall, has the strangest orange skin, huge green eyes, eyebrows that resemble gumdrops, and red hair.

Being from Italy, she doesn't know much English and takes everything literally.

She doesn't do any sports, but in my opinion would do well in basketball and volleyball. She focuses more on being an animal rescue worker, which is really sweet.

Victor and Rachel haven't arrived yet, and my dad is really upset that anyone's here at all.

Victor has dark skin and a prosthetic arm from a car crash, and is an athlete with Dick and myself. He does track, basketball, football, (which in my opinion is just a sport buff guys like him use to show off), weight lifting, and occasionally, wrestling and boxing.

He's also quite the tech guy, able to take a watch apart and put it back together again and have it work as if it were new. He also built his car, which he is very proud of, a mini jet, which is flown by remote control, private walkie-talkie phones for us, his friends, to call each other with, a TV, and many toy rockets, which he sells for cash. He's eighteen, and is trying to get into a job in a car garage part time.

Rachel Roth is a Goth girl with almost grey skin, blue eyes so dark they could be confused as purple. She's taken the word bookworm to a whole new level. I think she might have parent problems, but she'd never admit it. She's very into all the spiritual stuff, like ghosts and bad vibes and stuff like that, and spends a lot of time meditating.

I'd not be surprised if she doesn't show up at all, and we wait for an hour hoping she does.

Garfield is just… different. He has tan skin, and dyed green hair. He loves to 'stand out'. Unfortunately, it results in him being bullied like Dick, Rachel and I. I personally don't know how anyone would dare bully me and Dick, we're martial arts experts, but then again, most teens aren't, and it makes us 'stand out' as well.

Anyways, to the present, I'm hacking into a government database again. The best part about this is nobody ever notices. I'm very good at this, but never tell anyone.

"Anna, please don't tell me you're hacking again." Dick groans, seeing me typing furiously.

"Hey, it's not like I'm a black ops spy or whatever. I'm just a teen curious on when the next update on that presidential debate about shutting off the water supply will come out, and if our side's made any progress yet." I say.

"I believe that is the spying, Anna."Kori says.

"Well, it's not espionage!" I say, "I'm not using it against anyone, I'm just curious!"

"What is the 'black ops'?" Kori asks.

"Some kind of game, Kori, nothing you need to worry about." Dick tells her.

"Anna, your… friend is here!" Shouted my dad, "It's Victor!"

Victor walked into the room with a shout of, "Hey y'all!" He says.

"Hey Victor! Did you see Rache or Gar on the way here?" I ask.

"Nope, but I got a call from Rache saying she wasn't going to show up, meaning Gar is the last one coming." Victor says.

"Do you know anything about biology?" I ask.

"No, that's why I'm here. Hey, can't you just ha…"

"Not here Victor. How about the casita?" I ask, motioning to the second building outside, which connected to the garage.

"Oh, right. Sure." He says, remembering how much trouble I got into when I did that last.

"Hey Dad, if a guy with pale skin and green hair shows up, tell him we're in the casita, will you?" I ask.

"You'd better not be having a party." He says.

"No, Dad! Trust me, Biology is no party!" I shout in reply.

We head out to the casita, (A casita is a guest house for those of you who don't know).

After five minutes of conversation, Garfield finally decides to get here.

"So, where's Rachel?" He asks.

"Not goanna show. What did you do to make her mad, bro?" Asks Victor.

"I don't know, met Terra, asked her out? What?" Gar replies.

We all let out a collective groan. Garfield looks at us, curious and exasperated.

"Dude, you are so blind." I grumble.

* * *

After an hour, Garfield looks ready to burst out with laughter after he, the most stupid kid in school, tutors us, some of the best students in school, who usually win honor roll every single quarter with four point seven IQs to his three point five.

"Dudes, how can you not know how to do this? It's like the easiest thing in the whole wide world!" Gar said, laughing.

I growl and start to look up an online biology course. Garfield's 'dumbing it up' is making me feel stupid.

"Are you hacking again?" Asks Gar.

"No, I'm lowering my standards enough to use Google." I say.

"You, use Google? I find that hard to believe, and OH MY GOD YOU REALLY ARE!" Dick starts laughing.

"Shut up Dick." I say, but find myself laughing to.

"Why are you laughing?" Asks Kori, "Do people not commonly use the Google?"

"Yeah, Kori, people always use it, just not Anna. She usually hacks the pentagon or whatever to get the information she wants." Victor says.

"Are you really using Google, or is this just another prank?" Asks Gar.

"Yes Gar, I am really using Google and… Aragh! This is why I don't! I'm hacking some marine biology database!" I shout in frustration as I come up with: the biology of a clown fish, and, how to feed a shark.

There are also some rather… interesting pictures.

I find the main marine biology database of the state and hack in. the others crowd around.

"Okay, so what do we need?" I ask.

"We need everything on Great White Sharks, Blue whales, parrot fish, jelly fish, and dolphins." Dick lists off.

I copy everything off the pages, exit the database, put it on word, and e-mail it to the others.

Soon we're all silently doing our reports. That is, until Kori asks, "Why is this one named after, the boxer?"

"'Cause it's deadly, and boxers do a lot of fighting." Victor says.

"You should know." Gar says, rubbing a bruise on his arm where Victor had given him a 'friendly bump' a few weeks ago.

I roll my eyes and get to work again. Soon, after hacking multiple sites and the school database, I have my report finished.

"Okay, I'm done." I say, leaning back and putting my feet up, closing my laptop.

"I finished yesterday." Gar says, "I'm just playing on Andkon."

"I should be finished in a few minutes." Dick says, "Wait, change that, I'm done now. Wanna go shoot some hoops?" He asks me.

"Why not?" I reply.

We head outside, followed shortly by Kori. Victor comes out with Gar during our two-on-one game in round two.

"Well, I've gotta go, I promised Terra that I'd meet her at the pizza place five minutes ago. Bye!" Gar shouts, racing out the door with his laptop. (We all have computers, Gar just doesn't take good care of his.)

"Hey, even game now." Victor starts, but then my dad decides to make an entrance.

"Sorry, kids, but you'll have to leave now." He gives me a meaningful look, and I hide a shudder. Mom's coming home tonight, and she's a wanted thief and assassin and she has custody of my little brother, David. They live in Texas most of the time.

Dick and Kori left with Victor, and my Dad and I were alone.

"Listen, Anna. Your Mom is in on some big criminal group, and she has a flash drive with a lot of important information on it. I need you to swipe it and hack it, maybe copy the information so we can send it to the police anonymously." My Dad said.

We do this sometimes, give the police anonymous tips, and they trust us. I always look at it first, however, and Dick usually hears about it. We keep secrets together, and we are not people to tell them.

My mom arrives an hour later with my brother.

"Hello, John! Anna, my angel, how are you?" She asks.

"I'm great Mom, peachy, in fact." I reply. She sets her purse down. She and my brother go into the Casita with my Dad, and I pretend to go to the bathroom.

Instead, I search her purse and take the flash drive, then hide in my room with the door closed and locked. I open my laptop and plug in the flash drive. Its password protected, but I bypass that with no difficulty.

The information is encrypted, but that one's easy. I do codes all the time, it's basic stuff in the government websites and the marine biology HQ website.

What I find astonishes me.

It's all about something called nano-tech. It's used to alter the genetic structure of humans giving them special abilities and or physical alterations, used by an organization called the brotherhood of evil to give their operatives a standing advantage against police forces and even entire armies.

Super powers.

I copy it onto a flash drive, and then again onto another one, then I e-mail Dick, telling him to come over tomorrow morning, it being Sunday then.

I hide my flash drive, and my father's in a different place, before putting Mom's back.

I then get mine out and continue looking at it.

_Nano-tech has been proven to work by usage on three test subjects, Teether, Timmy, and Melvin, three orphanage children. Teether now spits lasers, Timmy can scream sonic sound waves, and Melvin can create monsters with her mind, specifically her giant teddy bear 'Bobby'._

_We did a secondary test on David Marcus, who now has super strength and telepathy. He now goes under the name Stalker._

_Our top operatives, Chealsie Marcus and Jake Talon, now known as Madame Rouge, a rubber woman who can stretch and expand and shape-shift into any form she wishes, and General Imortis, who has lived telepathically through every conflict in history and has the potential to live forever._

_Our greatest success was our resident genius, Misure Mallah, once an ordinary Ape, now a huge, super-strong genius that has a higher IQ than Einstein ever did. _

_Of course, our leader, the brain, has not changed in the slightest. He only has more powerful minions. _

_The only failure was a woman in pregnancy, who died when her baby ended up being too big for her stomach._

I stare at it in shock.

_Teens are the best subjects, with not one failure. Anyone from twelve to twenty years old will experience the changes as if normal in puberty._

I don't think I need to know that…

_The changes are instantaneous within the moment the nanotech is removed._

_There have been seventeen mutants already created, all serving the brotherhood of evil. It would be wise to join us, Deathstroke the terminator, we could give you strength of unimaginable quantities._

That is it. I realize that this can't go into the hands of the police, or my father. I decide to write a note on the drive instead.

On my dad's, I write:

_The group of villains known as the brotherhood of evil are trying to recruit Deathstroke the terminator. Be cautious, villains may have more in their arsenal than you think._

I delete the rest.

Then I return it to its hiding place, waiting for my mother to leave tomorrow.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

**Hello readers! Enjoy the chapter and please review!**

* * *

As soon as my mother leaves, Dick rounds the corner and comes in.

"You look pale. It was bad, wasn't it?" He asks.

"Yes. Come see for yourself, I copied it." I reply.

I open my laptop and show him.

After a few minutes, his mouth drops open. "My God, your mom's a mutant! People can do this with nano-tech?"

"You know about nano-tech?" I ask.

"Yeah, it's used for computer programming and stuff like mini-explosives in Wayne tech all the time. I have some, even." He says.

"No way." I say, "If we get it right…"

"We could have super powers." He finishes, trailing off and smiling. "We could stop these guys, be super heroes!"

"Yeah, but…" I pause.

"Yeah, it's dangerous, and it's probably just as bad as doing drugs. Problem is, your mom and brother have powers, they're super villains. There are already seventeen super villains and some head do-bad called the brain." Dick sighs.

"Yeah, we can't do it just the two of us. That's the problem." I say.

"Gar would want to." Dick says, "And so would Victor. I bet with a little convincing, Rachel would come along. Kori wouldn't even need to be asked."

"We could invite them over to your apartment, you know, away from prying eyes, and talk about it after we've got it figured out." I say.

"Yeah, 'cause of your dad." He says, trailing off.

"What?" I ask, and then hear footsteps. My father is in the house.

"Let's go." Dick says, sliding out my window.

I go and tell my Dad, "Hey, I just got a call from D, I'm heading out."

"Be back before dark, kiddo." My dad replies, "I'm leaving the tip."

I nod and leave the front door. I follow Dick over to the complex and we dart inside.

"Okay," He starts, putting away his phone, "Rachel is coming at four, and so is Kori. Victor is out on a football game all day with Garfield watching with Terra, and we have Jujitsu practice in ten minutes." Dick said.

"Oh, right! Let's go." I say.

We leave my laptop and flash drive hidden in the apartment and dash out the front door with Dick.

About an hour later, we've hardly broken a sweat while the rest of our classmates are panting and gasping and gulping down water as if they've been in a desert for days.

The teacher eyes us and says, "You two are teenagers, yet you are out doing this entire class of adults without breaking a sweat, and already learning advanced techniques with weapons."

The rest of our class are all super-muscular and scary looking men in their thirties, and the two of us are sixteen years old in high school, and advanced three ranks in black belts, yet we're still getting bullied.

The reason is probably because of our skill in martial arts. People like to gang up on us and try to beat us up, torment us, and mock us.

"Okay, ten more minutes and we're done." He said.

We go through a few more exercises and motions, and we leave.

It is one P.M., and I have to get ready for my volleyball game. I told Dick that he could use my flash drive if he wanted and ran off.

I won the game and go to my house, shower, and then head over to Dick's at three fifty, making it there with Rachel and Kori.

"Hey, come on in." He says and we do.

Kori kisses him, and Rachel and I looked away. I flop down onto the couch, and Rachel remains standing.

"Okay, so, I asked you to come over because we couldn't discuss this at Anna's house. You have to promise, swear on your lives, that you won't tell a soul about what you hear." Dick says.

The other two nod.

"Okay," I say, "I have a confession to make. My mother is Madame Rouge."

That stops the other two instantly.

"Your mother is that criminal on the world's most wanted?" Kori asks. (The world's most wanted is a TV show.)

"Yes." I reply, "And all those anonymous tips the police department gets, those are all from me and my father."

"Well yesterday, my mother visited with my brother. I hacked and de-coded a flash drive carrying a recruiting message to deathstroke the terminator, and it was talking about nanotech. Dick knows this already." I continue.

"My mother is part of an organization called the brotherhood of evil, run by some man nicknamed the brain. They're using nano-tech to give themselves super-powers. My mother is one of the super-powered people, as is my brother. The only thing is, there are two more in the leading group, and seventeen below them, number increasing on what looks like a daily basis."

Kori gasps.

"No way." Rachel breathes, her eyes wide, "You're making this up."

"No, we're not." Dick says. "Here's the drive to prove it."

"The only thing is, Wayne Tech also used nano-tech. we think we know how to copy what they did, with a little more work on Anna's part." Dick adds.

"You mean, we could have, the super powers?" Kori asks.

"Just the four of us?" Asks Rachel.

"No, we'd have to ask Victor and Garfield too." I say, hoping Rachel won't bail.

She nods, and then says, "I guess the four of us would never cut it."

"The question is," I say, "What do you want?"

"I would like to be able to shoot lasers from my eyes and hands, fly, and have the super strength!" Kori says instantly.

We all look surprised.

She blushes and says, "I used to read the Teen Titans comics."

"In that case, I'd like dark energy." Rachel says, "And flight."

"Maybe wings and super speed." Dick says.

I raise my eyebrows. "Did you read Maximum Ride or something?"

"No, it just sounds cool." He replies, frowning. "What would you want?"

"Well, wings, fire control and the ability to create it, also invulnerability to fire." I say.

"Like a phoenix?" Asks Dick.

"Yeah, you just named my alter ego." I laugh.

"I would like to be called Starfire." Kori says.

"Are you sure?" I ask.

"I am positive." Kori replies.

"I guess I'll go for Raven. No need to curb the trend." Rachel says.

"Well, since this group lacks ingenuity, I'll be Robin." Dick decides.

"Let me guess, Victor and Garfield will be Cyborg and Beast Boy." I snort.

"Let's find out, they're on their way." Dick says, looking at his phone after receiving a text.

There was a loud banging noise, and Dick opens the door. Victor and Garfield stride in.

"So, what's up?" Asks Victor.

We close the door and tell them.

"Wow." Gar says, "This is a dream, I fell asleep reading comics in Victor's car, and this is the shock of him yelling at me to wake up."

"No, Gar, this isn't a dream." I say, and slap him hard in the face. "There, see?"

"Owww!" He whines. "Fine, it isn't a dream!"

"I'll just do a little work on my arm and be Cyborg!" Victor says.

"What did I tell you?" I ask.

"I'll do shape shifting and be known as Animal!" Gar says.

"Finally! A unique name!" I cheer.

"Let me guess, they did Teen Titan names." Gar rolls his eyes.

"Yep." I reply.

"So, how do we do it?" Asks Dick.

"I can re-program the nano-tech while Victor works on his arm." I volunteer. "First I'll need to hack the Brotherhood of Evil. Wish me luck." I say, pressing a button on my laptop.

I end up typing furiously to avoid the security scans and traps, and the scanners, and then a weird monitoring system that was alive until I gain access to the files I want in twenty minutes.

"I'm in." I say.

"Wow, you did the Pentagon faster than that." Dick said.

"Okay, Dick, you said you have some nano-tech?" I ask.

"Yep, problem is, it's at the Wayne Manor in Gotham. I can't get it until next weekend, Martin Luther King's day weekend." He replies.

I copy down all the info I need onto another drive and get out of the systems.

"Well, I'll have the info waiting. Next weekend, and if any of you breathes a word of this to a soul, we're all as good as dead. Worse, actually." I say, and we all nod and head out.

When I get home, I can't help but smile. I'm going to be a super hero.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

**To all you good readers who think my story's good enough to read: You're awesome. Thank you and please review if you're one of the awesome people. The titans will protect everyone who reviews, just in case you didn't know. Enjoy!**

* * *

I stare in boredom at the white board as my math teacher tries to teach me something I don't know already. I mean seriously, I skipped ninth grade because I knew everything, and if my dad would let me I'd skip tenth too.

Dick did that, so I'm the only fifteen year old in a class of sixteen and seventeen year olds. Dick has it worse though. He has seventeen and eighteen year olds to contend with, but at least he has Victor with him.

"Can anyone tell me what X in this equation equals?" Asks the teacher. I do it instantaneously in my head and raise my hand.

"Anyone except Anna?" He looks around.

The other students glare at me and do it on their papers, and five seconds later, a girl named Maxime raises her hand.

"Yes Maxime." The teacher drawls.

"Forty Five." She says. I know it's wrong.

"No, I'm afraid not. Anna, can you tell me what X…"

"Fifty six." I say before he can finish.

"You are absolutely correct." He says, as if he didn't want me to have answered right. The bell rings and I grab my things and dart out the door.

I manage to get to my locker without being binder checked or shoved around and stuff my binder inside before heading down to the lunchroom.

When I get there, I see Kori get tripped by Terra, and then watch in horror as her Chili spills all over a popular girl, Sadie's white designer-brand jacket.

Kori gets up but is approached by the other girl, who is yelling insults. I sigh and dart forwards.

"I'm sorry, Sadie. Kori didn't mean to spill Chili on your jacket, I'm sure." I say in an attempt to calm the other girl down.

"Oh, yes miss sensei. Let's calm down to the scent of your incents or you'll beat me to a pulp huh?" She asked.

"No, I won't attack you." I say. "Just let it go, accidents happen."

By now, Dick has come over to the rescue. "Hey, calm down, Sadie. How much was it, I'll pay you for…"

"Are you trying to buy over my girlfriend? I bought her that jacket punk!" Another voice growls. Her boyfriend, Jake Palmer. He hits Dick hard in the face.

Dick staggers and wipes blood from his face, and then returns the punch, except a lot harder. There was a sickening crunch as bones broke.

Jake's buddy, Ben, jumps up and lunges, and I intercept his hand and flip him onto his back behind be.

"Oof!" He shouts, and then groans and gets up off the ground. By now, kids are screaming fight all around us and I leave, dragging Dick and Kori behind me.

"This is over. They're jerks, let's leave it at that and not get in any more trouble."

I can feel Ben giving me a look of respect as he helps Jake off the ground. I expect that we'll get full blame for the incident and possibly suspended.

* * *

Instead, when Dick and I go to the principal's office on our own and even report the incident, he actually looks surprised.

"Anna, Richard, you're honest for most students. Usually, the fight would've continued until a teacher broke it up, and then you would've been suspended. As it is, Richard, you broke Jake Palmer's nose and Anna, you fractured Ben Cameron's wrist. What do you think is a suitable punishment?" He asks us.

"In your place," I say, and pause, guessing that I wouldn't be rewarded for this, "I would suspend me for making the fight happen in the first place, and fail me in all my classes."

Dick sighs and says, "I would do the same."

"Well, Anna, you controlled yourself and ended the fight, and then the two of you came straight here and told the story exactly how a bunch of other students said you acted, and you were completely honest. I'd say you were just defending a friend and it got out of hand. You'll be suspended for the rest of the week, and then you'll return to your classes as normal."

"But, if this ever happens again, I don't care how honest and righteous you act, you will be permanently expelled from Jump City High School; do I make myself clear?" He asks us.

"Crystal." I reply, and we head to our lockers to get our backpacks.

Garfield and Victor see us in the halls.

"Dick, why are you bleeding?" Gar asks.

"Ask your girlfriend, Gar." Dick replies, "She's the one who caused this whole mess."

"What do you mean by that?" Gar asks, eyes narrow.

"What he means is, Terra tripped Kori in the lunchroom and she spilled Chili all over Sadie Jackson's jacket, and I came over to calm the girl down. Then Dick showed up and offered to pay for the jacket and got slugged by Jake Dick broke Jake's nose, and his buddy rushed over, and I fractured his wrist throwing him at the wall. Dick and I are suspended for a week." I explain.

"Yeah right! Get a life and stop blaming my girlfriend for everything just because you don't like her! Terra isn't a bully, that's why I like her!" Gar shouts and storms off.

We separate since our lockers are down different hallways. This feels like the long walk of shame.

My phone buzzes, but it doesn't make any sense, I had it turned off!

I make sure that it's off and decide that it was my imagination playing tricks on me.

I finally arrive at my locker and put my phone into my backpack, and everything else school-supplies wise and close it, then head out and ride my bike home.

* * *

My father is waiting for me when I arrive.

"You were suspended?" He asks.

"Yeah, Dick and I got into a fight with some school bullies, accidentally gave them broken bones." As his face darkens, I defend myself by saying, "We didn't start the fight, Kori got tripped and spilled hot chili all over a popular girl's expensive white jacket. I was trying to calm the girl down and Dick offered to pay for it, and then he got slugged by the popular girl's boyfriend."

"So you jumped in?" He growls. "Are you no better than your mother?"

"I am not like her! I jumped in when they started double teaming Dick! What happened when I left off was: Dick hit back, breaking the guy's nose. Another guy aims a punch, and I grab his fist and flip him into a wall. I didn't mean to break his wrist! I even ended the fight by dragging the other two away and then Dick and I reported the fight to the principle ourselves!" I say.

"At least it's only for a week. I'm shocked, to say the least. I'll believe your story because you're not one to lie. Did you leave anything unsaid? Who tripped Kori?" He asks.

"Terra Wilders." I say.

"Garfield's girl?" He asks.

"The same." I reply.

He shakes his head. "Well, I'll visit the school to get your homework for a week, and you can attend all your sports practices and games as usual, but when I'm with you. You're grounded for the week you're suspended."

I don't visibly react. I guessed from the beginning that he'd do this, I just hate hearing those words.

"You can, however, use your phone and computer, since there's nothing else to do here but watch TV, which is broken at the moment." He says.

I nod and head to my room. I empty my backpack and then see something weird. My phone is on.

I look at the screen and pale. There's a message.

_If you use nanotech, I will destroy you._

_ -Slade_


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

**Hello again! I'd like to address the following reviews:**

**There's been one that pointed out a mistake I made posting the chapters. I apologize for any confusion you might have about the chapters or story so far, and promise to be more vigilant.**

**So what are you waiting for? Review and tell me what you think! I'm open to suggestions and to know about complaints, but before you do know that this is not going to be like other Teen Titans stories, and yes I know where I'm going with this.**

**Enjoy the chapter!**

* * *

I stay up all night looking for Slade.

No, I do not go out on the street and search, I hack every known database of criminology and even the pentagon and Brotherhood of Evil. I try to trace the signal of the message and come up with nothing.

I even try acronyms and spelling it backwards, and I search the department of science, before deciding I'm getting nowhere.

But I can't sleep. Someone knows I hacked that file, and I don't want to think Gar or Kori opened their mouths. I think that this may have something to do with Deathstroke, but I was very careful. I always am, and if the Pentagon can't tell I hacked their top-secret files, Deathstroke can't tell I hacked a flash drive.

I am still up when my Dad comes in to wake me up.

"My God, Anna, you've been up all night! What's wrong, you look like you've seen a ghost! Are you sick, do I need to call a hospital?" He asks.

I turn to him blankly and say, "I'm fine, just doing some late night research and got carried away."

"You have done that before, but you've never looked like a Holocaust survivor afterwards until now. Get some sleep, I'll tell your swimming coach you're sick and can't come." He says.

"I'm fine, Dad. If anything, sleep is the last thing I need. I'll take a shower to wake up and then go to practice." I say.

"No, Anna. You are not going. I have to go to work, and I trust you enough not to break your grounding. Dick called by earlier, said that he's gone to Wayne Manor back in New York for a couple days. Did you tell him you're grounded?" He asks.

"He didn't ask, but I bet he guessed." I say.

My Dad leaves and I call Dick.

"Yellow?" He asks.

"Hey, it's me, Anna." I say.

"Oh boy, you don't sound good. I know what this means." Dick says.

"No you don't. It's about the nanotech. Someone else, a third party, knows. He managed to wirelessly hack my phone and leave a message that vanished once I read it. It said that if we use nanotech, he will destroy us." I say.

I hear Dick take a breath. "Wow, who was it? Someone on the list?"

"No. Dick, Bruce is big on criminology right?" I ask.

"Yeah, so, can't you find the person?" He asks.

"No. Can I ask you a question?" I ask.

"You just did." He replies.

"Who is Slade?"

"S-L-A-I-D?" He asks, "There's an old villain called…"

"No, S-L-A-D-E. I looked up all the criminal databases, prison records, wanted peoples pages, police records, hacking records, my excursions still not noted, the Pentagon, the list of national threats, anything I could find, and I even tried spelling it backwards and Acronyms and got nothing." I say.

"… Wow. I can, however, think of a place you did NOT try." He says. "The Brotherhood of Evil, criminal Databases, underworld networks, things like that."

"Thanks D. did you get the tech?" I ask, "Does Bruce know?"

"Of course not. I wouldn't tell him your secret. And yes, I have your pen. Sorry I brought it by mistake." He says, indicating someone is listening.

"Okay. See ya soon." I hang up before he can say goodbye, getting the feeling that I'm being watched.

I shudder and get on my computer, determined to play a game instead of hack for Intel, which is exactly what whoever is watching wants.

Soon the feeling that I'm being watched fades away, I go ahead and start my homework. I smile remembering Kori's comic book reference, and Dick and Rachel, and Victor's.

Then I stop. My mind whirls. I get on my computer and go to a DC comics website and type in Slade.

Tons of stuff comes up.

_Slade Williams is a Teen Titans and Batman villain…_

I look up Dick Grayson

_Dick Grayson, adopted son of multi-billionaire Bruce Wayne, aka Robin…_

I look up Kori Andrews. The closest I get is Koriandir.

_Koriandir is an Alien from planet tamaran, fought in the Teen Titans_

I look up Victor stone, and come up with Cyborg.

I look up Garfield Logan and come up with Beast Boy.

When I look up Madame Rouge, I see that she's a Teen Titan villain.

I look up the three test subjects, and find them in the Teen Titans section as well.

Now I'm spooked. I look up The Brain, and come up with The Brain.

I look up Deathstroke, and come up with… nothing. He must be unique to here.

With shaking fingers, I look up my name… and nothing.

I sigh with relief and type in my brother's new name, stalker, and come up with nothing.

The others, however, are all different matters. I realize that it can't be a coincidence.

Dick's parents and fictional Dick's parents were both Romani trapeze artists who died by falling to their deaths. In Both worlds, multi-billionaire Bruce Wayne adopted them. Batman doesn't exist here, so I don't need to worry about that.

Koriandir and Kori act the same, and aren't from the U.S., both are tall and dating Robin/Dick Grayson. They look the same, even.

Rachel Roth is the secret ID of Raven, and they look and act the same as well, even their fathers' names are the same. Now I know Rachel has parent problems.

The two Gars are a bit different, though. I thank heaven for that.

A message flashes on my screen and I almost spew the soda I've been drinking all over it. It was from Slade.

_Now you see, don't you girl. I didn't think you were stupid. I want you to meet me, at let's say, the alley behind your house. We can talk there._

_-Slade_

Deciding that I absolutely need to know more, I walk outside, making sure nobody is watching and tell myself, "It's okay, Ann. You're just going to your backyard, you can't get in trouble for this."

I walk into the alley and a masked man steps out. I gasp and ready myself to fight. "Who are you? And why did you contact me?"

"I contacted you because you can stop your friends from destroying your world." He says. "I assume you've pieced together where they, and I, come from."

"Yeah, but that makes me trust you less." I growl.

"Good girl." He says. "Never lower your guard."

"I came here not by choice, but I was alive, one of the few who was, when my universe experienced an apocalypse. The meta-humans went insane, all at the same time, because of a mad man named Stalker. They destroyed the world trying to kill each other." Slade says.

"And why should I care?" I ask.

"Because you know who Stalker is, and I don't have it in me to stop him and become a hero like your world needs. I'm a villain, but that doesn't mean I don't need a world too."

"Stalker is my brother." I say.

His head snaps up. He is startled, I know. I narrow my eyes. "I didn't exist in your universe." I say, "So I'm the variable you didn't count on when you tried to stop the Titans from rising."

"A variable that I will have to remove." He growled, and attacked.

I dodged, calling upon all my training, knowing that now my life depends on it.

He instantly follows with a kick, which catches me in the shoulder as I try to dodge. I stumble but dodge his next hits.

Next I leap up onto the hood of the neighbor's car, which starts alarming. Slade tries to hit me and his arm goes through the glass window as I jump over him and aim a kick at his head.

His other hand comes up and catches me by the ankle, throwing me. I land on my hands and spring up over my fance.

"Hey, what's going on here?" The neighbor shouts, "MY CAR!"

I'm sure Slade is gone now, so I race into my house. I do not call the police; nobody would believe my story at this point, not even Dick.

Now, however, I know I absolutely HAVE to get the Teen Titans on the road, but under a new name, just The Titans sounds better, or maybe The Team.

I hear someone knock on my door. I open it. It's Rachel.

"Oh, hi Rache. I'm not supposed to see friends right now." I say.

"Did being grounded stop you from fighting Slade?" She asks.

I see her point and let her in. "You saw?"

"I was going to come in through your back gate. I heard every word, and the strange thing is; it's completely logical. We need to get that tech out to our team." She sighs.

"Yeah. Slade obviously doesn't want the Titans of his dimension rising, but you're all here for a reason." I say.

"So are you." She says.

"No I'm not. I'm the flaw, the variable…"

She stops me before I say more. "If what Slade says is true, he needs you to gain an advantage. You're the variable, like you said. You decide your destiny, and I'm not sure the rest of us do. Truth is, I know a bit about universes. They tend to mirror each other. If one mirror shatters, the others can't reflect what it saw in that one, and everything falls apart."

"How do you know this?" I ask.

"My father is Trigon, a drunk, abusive, bastard, son of a bitch, but my mother had a super power of her own when she was alive. She could walk through dimensions." She says.

"With what's going on, I can only hope I'm not going mad." I reply.

Rachel continues. "She also wasn't born in this universe. The other universe can't re-form itself, so ours is changing while a mirror of ours without meta-humans is forming. Now, we're getting them."

"This is a damn prank. Slade is Richard in disguise, and he got you to say this. You got Cyborg to put a virus on my computer when he was here and didn't tell me your real names when we met. You're bullies trying to put me in the mental ward." I say, shaking my head.

Rachel looks hurt. "Listen, I get bullied every day, and you and Dick got suspended for bullying. Do you think any of us would do that to you?"

"No, I don't. My mind is destroyed. I just figured out I'm an inter-dimensional fluke. I just figured out that there are other dimensions. I also heard you admit to having parent problems, and that your mom isn't from the universe. In the course of four days I've gone from being just another teen to knowing super powers are possible and that the world is changing." I say, "And I'm not even sure I'm sane anymore."

"I'll give you some space." Rachel says, "And you don't have to help the rest of us if you don't want to, but know that you have the choice, and that we're all going to do it. But also know we may end up having great need of your help."

She is gone before I realize she'd started to leave. I hang my head. I need to take a walk, I need to beat something up, I need to do some kind of action.

But, I can't go to the gym, when I'm grounded, the punching bag in the garage is off limits, and my sports activities have been cut.

So I pull out a blank journal and a pencil and begin to write.

_November 3, 2017_

_My name is…_

I pause for a moment. What name should I put? Mine, or a different one, the one I decided on two days ago, Phoenix? Instead, I leave the rest of the line blank, in hopes that I can fill that margin later, and begin to write the events of Friday, the last normal day of my life.

I'm all caught up by the time my Dad opens the front door. I hide my new journal under my mattress and stare at the ceiling.

"Are you okay?" He asks.

"Yeah. Some jerk put a hole through the neighbor's car windshield. I saw after the guy started cussing like shit." I say.

"Hey, no language in my house." Dad says.

I nod and continue to stare at the ceiling.

"What's wrong, kiddo?" He asks.

"If I told you, I'd end up in a madhouse. It's private." I say.

"I respect your privacy, then, but you're not sleeping, I can see that. You're stressed about something. Can you get it off your chest and maybe tell me?" He asks.

"It's about that drive." I admit. "There was some… disturbing information on it. Mom's new organization did an experiment on three little kids named Timmy, a kid nicknamed Teether, and Melvin. They're toddlers. And also, they did it on David."

He hung his head. "I hoped that you hadn't read what you were copying." He says.

"Why?" I ask, getting out of bed.

"Because they promised me a new world where I could rule. Your mother promised that I could let you live a carefree life in a world without restraint, without unfair punishment." He says.

I take a discreet fighting stance. "Dad, what did you do?"

"I agreed to help them. That tip never made it to the police. The only thing, I promised them you. I promised that you would join our side." He said. "The choice is yours, though."

I hear footsteps behind me as a man rushes forwards. I back flip over him, and the man's arms clasp air. I kick him hard in the head. My FATHER betrayed me, my mother is a criminal, and my brother is a psychopath.

It's either be a vigilante, or be a target, forcefully on their side.

The man lets out a cry and falls unconscious to the floor.

"I'm sorry Anna." He says, getting out a gun.

I duck under it, grab him by the arm, and throw him, snatching the gun.

I hear a resounding crack as something breaks when he hits the floor. I see his arm is broken. I throw the gun away; grab my phone and laptop and charger, and then my journal. I stuff them in a backpack and run.

I find myself in an alley, racing for a ladder, when I hear a familiar footstep and whirl. Slade is behind me.

The sun is setting, giving us a battleground that II have an advantage in.

"What, Slade? Come to gloat?" I ask.

"No, rather, to give you an offer." He shows me a video of my fight.

"I would like to make you my apprentice, Phoenix. I need a young parson to follow in my footsteps, and so far, you're not going to last on your own." He says.

I tense, but he walks away, saying, "Think about it."

I can't know what to do. Do I join Slade, or doom my friends and I to the same fate I've already chosen?


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

**Hello readers! I hope you like this story so far! REVIEWS ARE AWESOME! Wish I had some…**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

I spend the night in Dick's apartment, under his bed. I leave before dawn out his window and leave no sign that I'd done so.

Now I'm hiding in the old subway system, wandering around aimlessly.

I have to wait for Dick to get back with the nanotech, which probably won't happen for about three days.

I decide I have to talk to someone, and the best someone I can think of would be Victor.

I pull out my phone.

"Oh my God, Anna, you're alright! There's an amber alert out, your father is…"

"My father tried to kidnap me and hand me over to the brotherhood of evil. Look, I'm on the run right now because my life is in danger. I may visit in the next few days, depending on the circumstances. See ya around." I say.

"Wait, can you bring me the info on nanotech? I might be able to work on that while you're leading the bad guys on a goose chase." He says.

"Thanks, I'll be there as soon as I can. Bye." I smile, I have a good friend.

"See ya." He replies.

We hang up.

I get out my journal and write the events that have transpired. I think about naming the journal, like a book or something, but decide against it.

I still do not know which name to put on the beginning of it though. I'm still not sure who I am really. A few days ago, I would've put Anna Lilly Marcus on it with no hesitation, but now I'm not sure.

I remember Slade offering to take me in. He gave me a choice, unlike my father. He gave me a choice, though, because he thought I might not have one.

I get up and head silently down the tunnel until I come to the sewer entrance, where I cover my nose and head to victor's house.

When I get there, I think I've lost my sense of smell. Te world is made of rotten eggs and I am a piece of moldy cheese floating in a pond of assorted manure.

Of course, I don't really smell like that, but my nose says I do, after all that time in the sewers.

I don't knock on the front door. Instead, I come in victor's window after knocking. He comes over and opens it, and I climb in.

"Hey Anna. Do you have it?" He asks.

"Yeah. I'm not staying, and I can't afford to say where I am. Look, I'm sorry for all the secrecy, but last night I made this. It should explain everything. For more info, ask Rachel, but if it bothers her just leave it be." I say, handing him a recording disk.

I jump out the window before he realizes I'm heading in that direction and head into the shadows. My stomach growls.

I can't buy food, everyone is looking for me, knows my face. Instead, I kill a rat and roast it. (I took survival class in seventh and eighth grade.)

This is a new low for me.

I decide to call Dick, then I stop before I can dial his number. He's my best friend, sure, but that means he'll worry.

I almost press the button again, knowing that if he doesn't hear from me he'll be even worse.

So I wirelessly hack into his computer using web access.

It's hard, but it can be done. I find out that he's on his computer, in fact, he's looking up information about the Amber alert on me.

I decide to copy Slade. I type a message and display it on Dick's screen. It says:

_D,_

_I know you're probably worried and think someone got me. Well, they didn't, well, not yet. My father turned on me. He tried to abduct me and induct me into the brotherhood of evil by force. Slade also contacted me again. He wants me to be his apprentice._

_Right now, I'm hiding in our old hang out we never told anyone about. GW, It's still not sealed over. Don't worry about me or the info, Vic has it and is analyzing it. If anyone can do this, he can. I can't talk more, just know that I'm safe._

_Do not respond to the Amber Alert under any circumstance._

_Your friend_

_ -A_

He closes the Amber alert page and types a reply onto word. I smile. It says:

_A,_

_It's wonderful to know you're safe! I'm so sorry about your father. Hey, you can hide out in my place whenever you want. I'll head back tomorrow._

_This business with Slade, don't buy it. I have a strange feeling that it's not going to end well. You probably knew that anyways, though. Don't worry about me responding to the alert, and I will get the tech to Victor_

_ -D_

I close out; glad to have a good friend like Dick. I put my computer away and decide that I need to do something or I'll go insane. I jump down from my ledge and start racing up and down the stretch of old, unused tracks.

Soon I stop and go look for water. I was stupid and forgot to bring any. I soon remember that there's a stash in the garage fridge, so I get my wits about me, preparing for a fight, and go there.

I get in with no trouble, and then I open the fridge, take five bottles, and close it. Now that I realize it, no one's home. I go ahead and take some protein bars out and stuff them in my pack too, and then a first aid kit.

Now I stop, hide my tracks, and leave again. I was lucky this time, and shouldn't make a habit of traveling to the surface. Right now, until D comes back, I doubt I'd last long, even with my training.

I travel up the stretch of track back to my ledge and hop back up, open a bottle of water, and take a long drink. I don't drink the entire bottle, more around half of it.

Next I go ahead and find the body spray in my first aid kit and almost put it on, but don't. Who knows what the smell of perfume would attract?

I put it away and head on down the tunnel, stretching a bit and preparing to practice some of my jujitsu moves when I hear a footstep behind me and whirl, ready to attack…

And it's a boy a year younger than me. I drop my guard.

The boy is wearing a weird red outfit with an empty quiver on his back. He has short but perfect red hair and a domino mask.

"Holy... Hey, you're that girl on the amber alert!" He gasped.

"That'd be me. Don't report me, okay, my life depends on it." I add, taking the phone from him.

"Didn't you get kidnapped?" He asks.

"Almost, and my father was willing to give me over to a criminal association as a test subject or something." I say, not revealing anything.

"I won't say anything. Plus, if I did, I'd get taken back to that damn pit hole orphanage." He says.

"What's your name?" I ask.

"Roy Harper." He says, "I saw you at school a few times, you're the girl that had a future as a champion Olympian, Anna Marcus right?"

"You're that archer, huh?" I ask, "And yes, I am."

"Hell yeah I am!" He smiles, and then it fades, "But not if THEY get their hands on me. By criminal association, do you mean the Brotherhood of evil?"

"How do you know about them?" I ask.

"I could ask you the same question." He says.

"I hacked their server, my friends all know too." I reply.

"All your friends?"

"No way, not all of them! Only a few." I laugh. This guy is stupid.

"Good, that makes life easier. If you have a whole bunch of teens running around telling everybody…"

"They know better." I say.

"How come you trust me?" He asks.

"'Cause you're not on their list of members, and because I wirelessly hacked your computer a while back when we were doing that criminology project a while back." I say.

"That was you! Dude, you left a picture of a taco man walking around on my screen! Yes, I'll admit, it was funny, but I almost didn't finish my project!" He says, "And how does that make you trust me?"

"According to what I found, you wouldn't even put your real Birthday online, you don't have the guts to go commit a crime, but you have what it takes to run off and hide, like I am." I say.

"Stalker." He muttered.

"That's my little brother." I say. "He's got super-strength and telepathy."

"Jesus Christ! You're pulling my leg! They haven't already started that have they?" He yelps.

"Quiet! Just because this place is underground doesn't make it soundproof!" I growl, "And they started a week ago, according to their database."

"Damn." He grumbles, "I need my bow back, and a nice quiver of arrows. Then maybe I could go back to kicking ass."

I chuckle. "Sure Roy. What enemy wouldn't be afraid of that name, much less of your bow and arrows."

"You're talking like secret ID?" He asks.

"Sure, why not? It's just a cool name the enemy can hate on." I say.

"I see your point, my name isn't exactly frightening. I'll get back to you on it." He smiles, and I mess up his hair as he walks away.

"Hey!" He yelps, instantly pulling out a hairbrush and fixing it. "Don't mess with my do!" And then he jumps into the tunnel to the sewer system.

I frown and look him up on that comic website, and sure enough, the name Speedy pops up. Sidekick to Green Arrow.

Then I frown. If the sidekicks and villains are all coming around, wouldn't that mean the adult heroes would to?


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

**Hello readers! I hope you're ready for the first Super Hero to emerge! Okay, what I did was combine two universes and two ideas. Idea #1 was a regular Teen Titans adventure but with an OC, and #2 was Teen Titans in a normal life. What I got was a new beginning to the teen titans and a new member in a new universe!**

**Please read and review! Enjoy!**

* * *

The next day, a guy named Archer stopped a bank robbery. I snag a newspaper, and Roy has made it on the front page.

The whole Archer idea is a good one, I have to admit.

Then I read on and realize it's only his picture. There is confirmation of my suspicions on there. A new hero called Batman is on the streets of Gotham, and I can only assume that it's Bruce Wayne.

Another story is Green Arrow, from Star City, also on the east coast. There are also Flash and Kid Flash on the east coast, both meta-humans with super speed.

I hear a familiar footstep and put down the paper. "You made the front page, Archer." I say, smiling. "I guess you decided to go public."

He smiles and says, "I decided that just being 'Roy Harper' wouldn't be cook enough for the press. I actually tried for Speedy, but the press decided for me, I guess." He says.

"Well, I guess you got booted from Speedy by Flash and Kid Flash off on the East Coast. Oh, and Green Arrow is in Star City while Batman showed up in Gotham for the first time." I add.

"Holy shit, gimme that!" He snatches up the paper and stares. "That's a horrible picture! I look like a grim, boring, ugly toad! I mean look at that!" He shouts, pointing at a strand of hair sticking up. "And this!" He points at his expression.

"Oh no Roy," I say, sarcasm drizzling from my voice, "A strand of hair is out of place. It's the apocalypse."

He rolls his eyes and self-consciously brushes at his hair.

"Jesus Christ Roy! You're like a collage prep girl fretting over her prom dress!" I laugh.

He glares at me. "I'm not even going to respond to that."

"You just did." I snort.

He rolls his eyes and says, "Well, I guess I should be on the lookout for more crime. See ya later, and by the way, you smell horrible."

I growl at him and he laughs, running off.

I smell my arm when he goes and gag. Maybe he was right…

I spray myself with the body spray, not caring what it makes me smell like.

I pull my hair back so that the mats in it don't show, and then start practicing martial arts. Gotta keep in shape.

I hear Gar approach a minute later and stop. "Hey G, how did you find me?" I ask.

"You know, you and Dick invited me down here a while ago." He says. "And how did you know it was me? You never looked."

"Your footsteps and the fact that you're a mouth breather." I say, turning around.

"Hey, Dick, Kori, Rachel, Victor, and I've been worried sick, and you're just down here hiding?" He asks critically.

"Yes. My father tried to give me to the Brotherhood of Evil, and I decided that my life depends on me staying down here. And by the way, Victor and Dick haven't been worrying, just acting. They both know I'm fine." I say.

"Why didn't you tell the rest of us?" He asks.

"I hate to admit it, but you and Kori couldn't keep a secret if your lives depended on it. Two, I don't know where Rachel is and I'm pretty sure she does not use a computer, other than the one she borrowed from Victor for the report." I say, "And I couldn't just go to school and find her, like I said, I'm suspended AND on an amber alert."

He sighs. "True."

"Look, you can't tell anyone, and I mean ANYONE, that I'm here. Pretend you're worried sick like the others, 'cause my life may very well depend on it." I say, and then add, "And Gar, don't worry about the nanotech stuff, Victor has it."

Gar sighs and says, "You know, you don't have to stay down here tonight. My place isn't far…"

"No Gar, I have to stay here. The first place they'll look is with friends, and I don't want them to hurt any of my friends." I say.

"Well, I guess I do have some news." Gar says.

By the look on his face, I know what he means.

"I asked Rachel out!" He said, smiling.

"Then it would be even worse if I stayed at your place. Now go on!" I say, and shove him towards the latter. He smiles and says, "See ya Anna." And then he leaves.

I can only hope Kori doesn't come next.

* * *

_The next day…_

I'm leaving the subway tunnel and heading over to Dick's. It's around lunch, and I'm sure he's awake by now, knowing that he sent a text telling me to meet him at his place.

I drop in the window.

"Hey Dick." I say.

"Anna, you smell." He says, "And you're filthy. But hello."

Punch him hard in the arm. "So, did you get it?" I ask.

"Yep. Do you have the info?" He asks.

"No, Victor does. I got caught up, as you know." I say.

"To Victor's house we go, then." He rolls his eyes.

"You sound like Barney when you talk like that." I laugh at him. He frowns but doesn't say anything.

We arrive at Victor's house and I jump up to his window and he lets me in while Dick rings the doorbell.

"Jesus, couldn't you both just jump in through the window?" He asks, rushing out of the room and throwing open the door. Dick strides in, holding his pack with nanotech.

"I took the day off of school." Victor says, "So just keep on doing what you're doing and not giving a crap if you make me late or not."

"Do you think you can do it?" I ask.

"Yeah, I just need to test it. I went and got the rat that's been eating my food for the job." He said, gesturing to the rat. "Payback squeaky!"

"You named it?" I ask.

"Well yeah! Gimme the tech, and I'll have it in about five minutes." Victor says.

They're five long minutes. Dick and I end up playing table football with fingers and a paper clip.

"YO! I GOT IT!" Victor shouts. It throws off Dick's aim and he hits me in the eye. Good thing I'm wearing sunglasses.

"Great! What're you going to do to the mouse?" I ask.

"It gets to breathe underwater." Victor says, "I don't want to give it anything like lasers or we could end up losing a lot more than the tech."

We watch in astonishment as Victor was about to send in the tech and then I realized something.

"We can't do it here and now."

They look at me in confusion. "Why?"

"Because, it doesn't feel right. We should get the other three and meet in the abandoned subway tunnel. Gar knows where it is, so he can bring his new date." I say. They frown at me.

"Terra?" Asks Dick.

"No, Rachel." I say, grinning.

"WHAT!?" Victor asks, "But he and Terra were going smooth!"

"Terra is on the list of Brotherhood testers." I reply, "And I think Gar found out the hard way."

"But she wasn't on there before!" Victor said.

"She is now, and so is my father." I say, showing them the updated list.

"Damn, I know that other new boy." Victor says.

"We have to act fast." I say.

They nod and we head out. Dick goes to Kori's house to get them, and I head to Gar's. Victor happens to know Rachel's address, so he goes and gets her.

We meet in the tunnel, and get the rat out.

"We're going to test it on him?" Gar whines, "No way! He's so cute!"

"Dude, he's been in my house eating MY food and getting in MY equipment! Plus, haven't you ever heard of rabies? Rodents carry it!"

"I'm a vegetarian!" He whines again.

"Okay Gar, you can keep him as a pet afterwards." I say, "He won't die."

Victor does it. We all watch as the nanotech fog attaches itself to his skin. The rat doesn't even notice. Then the fog comes off. Victor picks up the rat and puts it in a fishbowl. The rat continues to snuffle and walk around. Bubbles rise in bursts to the top.

"It works!" Dick gasped. The mouse was scaly like a fish now, and swimming around the bottom, looking for food.

"Here you go Gar, the fish-mouse." I say, and hand the boy the fish bowl. Gar sets it down in annoyance.

"Okay, who's first?" Asks Victor, sounding a bit worried.

"I'll go." Rachel says, coming forwards. "Dark energy control and flight." She says, and Victor programs it in.

The fog goes around our friend and we bite our nails, fearing it might not work, or it might hurt her.

Then the fog clears and Rachel is standing there, completely unharmed. She moved around a bit and shuddered. "It felt like I was being tickled by thousands of tiny moths."

And then a gem was in her forehead. Her eyebrows were darker, and her deep blue eyes became purple for real., and then so did her hair.

"Okay, try it." Victor says.

Rachel focuses hard, and weak dark glimmer erects itself around her hand. A few moments later and it was a perfect black sphere.

"I'm going." I say, and stand ready. The tech does tickle as it comes on. It doesn't hurt though, and I feel warmer than I used to when they come off.

I shudder and fall over as my wings come in, and this does hurt. I do not scream though. I grit my teeth and stand, flourishing my new wings. I look in the mirror that Kori brought. My hair starts it's normal black, but then lightens into brown, and then turns yellow. At the bottom it's a pure flame red.

I have feathery flame colored wings, and my eyes have stayed the same.

I feel a pit covered with stone inside me with something ready to burst out.

I let a bit of it lose, and find a tiny flame in the palm of my hand. I extinguish it.

"ME ME ME!" Gar shoves forwards.

The nanotech swirls around him, and in a moment, he's completely green. I show him, and he simply cheers and says, "I'm completely vegan!"

Then he focuses and turns into a tiger, and then back.

"I would like to be next." Kori flew forwards.

After the tech was done, there were no visible changes. There are other changes though. She is unsteadily hovering as soon as the transformation is done.

"You know what I want." Dick says excitedly, and lets Victor reprogram the tech. It comes and swirls around him.

He gains wings. He stretches them a bit and grins. "I think I could get used to this."

Victor turns his cybernetic hand into a cannon. "No need for nanotech here!"

We put it away and begin to try out our new powers.

Kori has the hang of flying and is swooping around with excited cries of "Weee!"

"So Anna, how do you think we use these?" Dick asks, gesturing to the wings.

I stretch them and say, "I'm more of a Phoenix mow." I say, and then smile. "Let's find out."

I flap the wings a few times, and then jump and flap them downwards as powerfully as I can. I almost get a nice hover. I fall to the ground slowly, but I still do.

"Cool!" Dick says, and races forwards to high-five me. Instead, he becomes a boy blur and runs me over. He falls a few feet away. "Oww." He mutters, getting up.

I let a ball of flame grow in my hand, lighting up the cavern. I hover it in the air higher and higher, until eventually it is ten feet above me. I make it go in circles and then try to separate it.

It goes out again.

Rachel is still trying to lift a pebble.

Gar is running around as a dog, sniffing at everything he comes across, engrossed in his new world. Victor stops the chaos and says, "Look, I know we all need to practice, so we should all go to a place where it is safe to do so."

We all look at him. Where does he have in mind?


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

**Hello readers! I hope you're enjoying this story and I'd like more reviews, and if you find anything, like typos, wrong spellings, grammar issues, it's good to know about those to. Anyways, I hope you're enjoying ****Titans Rising**** and will stop blathering so you can enjoy the chapter.**

* * *

I stare in shock at Victor's place to practice. He has dragged us out of the city and into the mountains, where I'm staring at the pond, all the open ground with nothing to burn, and some targets that consisted of branches and trash.

The pond is below me, and so is everything else. Kori is flying over it, trying to help Rachel, who is hopping and flailing her arms around like a madwoman at the water's edge.

The purpose of the pond is so Dick, Rachel and I can safely fly over it and so Gar can swim. The targets are for Me, Victor, and Kori. The open ground is for Dick and Gar. The targets are also for Rachel.

"Okay, go." Victor says.

Gar jumps, turns into a bird, and flaps lopsidedly away.

Dick and I however turn and stare at him.

"Go?" Dick starts.

"You mean jump?" I ask.

"You have wings and a pond below you, you're perfectly safe!" He shoves us off the ledge.

I yelp and snap my wings out, flapping them at the same time, harder on the down stroke than the upstroke. I almost touch my wings, and I realize that I'm rising.

Dick, below me, finally pulls to a stop.

I tentatively angle myself forwards and fly that way. Oh, the wind on my face! Flying feels better than any of us ever imagined, it's like a whole new kind of freedom!

I speed up and start to turn, and I lose the right position and have to quickly regain balance while Dick flies up past me.

I fly up after him, and gain speed, and then decide to dive bomb Gar.

I dive, readying myself, and then let out a splitting screech. He yelps and swims away and I pull up, shooting back towards the sky.

Dick is laughing above me, and so is Victor. Kori flies up to me and asks, "Friend, why did you scream?"

"I was scaring Gar, nothing to worry about." I say.

She nods and flies up to Dick. I fly low over the water, running my fingers through it. I smile and fly slightly higher, and then feel for my fire. I bring myself to a slow glide and send a blast at the nearest target.

It misses by a foot or so.

Kori decides to try, and hits it with a yellow blast.

Below us, a blue shot rockets across the area and hits a target. The beam is cut, and Victor shouts, "Booyah!"

I grin and roll my eyes, preparing balls of fire over both hands. I then send them rocketing at two separate targets. The first one misses, but the second hits.

My wings are beginning to hurt, and now I realize I've neglected something very important.

"How do I land?"

Victor slaps himself in the face with his cannon arm by mistake. "Yow! Dang, I forgot about that. Both things, actually. For now, try to run along the ground when you hit, people do it after they jump."

I nod and begin to descend, slowly, and carefully. My feet touch the ground, and I slowly stop flapping my wings.

Rachel walks up and says, "How do you use your power?"

"I let it out however I want it." I reply.

"Do you have to get angry?" She asks.

"No." I reply, "Actually I just have to pretty much open the lid and it comes pouring out, I have to let it lose."

"A power like that could have dangerous side effects." She warns me.

"Yours could to, if you have to get angry to do so." I say. "It could become an unbridled force."

Dick accidentally goes into super speed mode while flying down and crashes into the pond.

"Well, a power like that could also have a dangerous side effect if it's not controlled." I say.

Garfield leaps into the water and turns into a dolphin. He dives, and resurfaces with a coughing Dick.

"Eech, it's hard to swim with these." He mutters, extending his wings lopsidedly.

I roll my eyes and take off, this time angling myself so that I don't instantly hit the ground again. I manage to take off this time and glide up a distance before just regularly flying upwards.

I don't know how I got to be so lucky, how WE did. Me and my friends, out of a possible few billion people, were randomly selected to have super powers.

There is an explosion in the city, and I whirl to see it. I realize that my vision has improved, a lot. I can see something that looks like a giant walking cinderblock running around terrorizing the population.

"What is it?" Victor calls up.

"A giant rock-man, like a Cinderblock!" I shout.

"Well, I guess we should help that Archer dude deal with it." Gar says, turning into a hawk and flying up to me. The others start into the air, except for Rachel and Victor.

"Hey, we don't have disguises yet, we'll easily be recognized!" I shout.

"Is that supposed to be a problem?" Asks Dick.

"Yep, you wouldn't want to be swarmed by fans all the time or have to look over your shoulder 24-7, or have Bruce pay the price for this would you?" I ask.

"Good point." He says.

"My family did not move to America, they sent me as an exchange student." Kori says, "And then I missed my plane."

"I don't care about my father." Rachel shouts.

"I have my parents to worry about, but they're not even in the state." Victor shouts.

"I wouldn't be recognized anyways, but my parents and older sister could be threatened." Gar replies.

"Well, Gar said it. I have nothing to lose. Kori's parents don't even live in the country. We can handle this while you work on getting your powers under control and maybe a disguise." I say.

"Sounds good. Plus, I'd need a weapon. I think I'd just break my hand punching a rock." Dick laughs.

I nod and the three of us soar off.

* * *

"The Cinderblock is wrecking our school," Kori gasps, "Fantastic!"

Gar and I exchange looks, which is funny because he's still a bird. Kori isn't one to hate on school, she likes having mustard for a lunch table drink, plus, her sister is only nice to her there. Mari never recognizes her, so it's fine, plus, Mari isn't orange, so no threat there.

"Kori, you do realize that you can't drink mustard outside of school, right?" Asks Gar.

"Oh, right." She replies, and pouts.

"We should all call each other by our other names here." I say, "Meaning Gar is Animal, I'm Phoenix, and Kori, you're Starfire."

There's an explosion on Cinderblock's back as Roy, I mean Archer, attacks.

Star flies around and starts shooting her starbolts at him.

Cinderblock roars in fury and turns, and I send a plume of billowing fire at him. I realize how hard it is to contain afterwards.

Gar, agh, I mean Animal, turns into a bull and rams his horns into Cinderblock's back. Cinderblock stumbles and Gar… ANIMAL, turns back into himself and clutches at his head.

Archer sends a round of arrows at Cinderblock and jumps onto the ledge next to me. "So Flame Girl, wink, wink, A, you used nanotech?" He stresses the letter a.

"The name's Phoenix, and yes." I say, "Fight fire with fire."

"Hilarious." Archer says sarcastically, dodging as a huge rock came our way. I fired a shot and hit Cinderblock in the chest, sending him staggering into Starfire's blasts, and then he gets attacked by Animal, who decides to turn into a T-Rex.

After he stumbles back, Archer shoots him with more arrows. He stumbles and falls, where I melt the sign posts and let Star wrap him up.

We fly away, or run, in the case of R… Archer, as the police arrive with orders to take out a monster AND four vigilantes.

* * *

The next day, I find myself looking at a video of our fight on the news.

They never get a clear shot at me or Kori, which pleases me, and Gar isn't recognizable. One of the civilians was close enough to hear my name and send it in.

"The four vigilantes: Archer, Flame girl…"

"Flame girl?" I interrupt, glaring. They must've heard Roy, I'm so going to get him for this!

The news cast continues. "Starfire, and Animal, saved the city from a raging criminal called Cinderblock yesterday. Comic fans will claim that this was a feat of the universe and that the Teen Titans came to save us." The reporter says.

I see myself hit Cinderblock with a fiery blast and smile to myself at how cool it looks, especially with my flame-colored hair and wings, even though they GOT MY FUCKING NAME WRONG!

"Because of popular demand, we call their team the Teen Titans, and if we can find one of them we'll ask the heroes ourselves. The police, however, do not share our enthusiasm."

An interview with the police chief plays. "These so called 'heroes' are responsible for the destruction of the school courtyard AND the demolition of fifth street. The damage could cost a million dollars to repair."

"But officer, wouldn't the destruction have ranged further without the help of these young heroes?" Asks the interviewer.

"If Archer hadn't provoked the beast further, the police could've had it under control on a matter of minutes, and all we'd have to fix is a few potholes where the creature walked. Plus, how do we know the creature wasn't in league with them?"

"I see your point, sir, but still, they've given us no reason to hate them. Do you have reason to be so concerned?"

"Yes, I do. There have been reports of strange occurrences across the world, one of the most interesting is in Gotham City where Batman emerged." The police chief says, "This could be a takeover."

"Then I'm sure everyone is grateful to know this." Says the reporter, who looks uninterested, as if the police chief was your everyday ranting critic.

"Rest assured, people of jump city, we will have this problem under control." The reporter drawled.

A sticky toung hits the TV. We all look and see a green frog sitting on the arm of the chair. It turns back into Gar.

"Dudes, you'd think he'd be a little more grateful! We saved the city from that thing! They could've had it under control in maybe a few weeks." He remarks.

"Flame Girl?" I fume again.

"Yeah, let's change the channel!" Victor says, snatching the remote from Dick.

We're all at Dick's apartment, just hanging out.

The next channel we see has my face on the Amber alert plastered on it, so we flip the channel again, just to see another criticizing report about our excursion, playing an interview with the police chief.

We get a mystery channel next, about us, and then a cartoon channel, which takes a commercial break and rambles about the four heroes.

"Okay, forget it." Victor says. He shuts the TV off.

"Well, I hope they didn't want to discourage us, 'cause it didn't work." Dick says.

Gar nodded, "Yeah, no way are we backing down."

"I'll order pizza." Dick said, "But you'll need to hide."

"You have wings doofus." I say, "Who looks normal and is here a lot? Oh, right, Kori!"

"Yeah, how are we supposed to go to school like this?" He asks.

"Put on a windbreaker and fold your wings to your back." I say.

"Yeah, I just need to switch prosthetics." Victor adds.

"I'll think of something." Rachel says, going cross-eyed and glaring at her gem.

"I think I'll skip." Gar gulps, looking at his skin. "I have an epidemic and can't come."

"Sports is also going to be a problem for you Dick." I say.

"Damn, we need something like a holographic disguise!" Dick gasps.

"I bet I can do that, just give me a bit and I can even make you temporarily normal." Victor says.

We all stare at him. "You can?" Gar asks.

"Yeah, just a trinket or something." He says, "Except attached to you, and like a holographic disguise but a notch better. I made one for the first year I had a prosthetic."

"Hey, what about you?" Asks Dick, looking at me.

"I'm on an amber alert, and can't go back to my house, which is exactly where they'll take me if they find me, or worse, they'll hand me over to my parents and the brotherhood of evil, and if they find out who I am, they know who you are. I don't have a life to go back to, just a laptop, online courses, and possibly a new ID." I reply.

"Yeah, Phoenix didn't work out, huh?" Asks Gar.

The couch catches fire.

"AAAGH!" we all shout, leaping up. I extinguish it before anything can be destroyed.

"I guess temper connects with fire…" I try sheepishly.

"I have an idea; let's not sit on the couch anymore." Dick says, "And we should also stop teasing Anna about being Flame girl."

"Quit it already." I growl. They back away before I can set anything else on fire.

"I'm working on getting my powers to work; you're trying to keep them in. I guess getting angry makes you lose control." Rachel says jealously.

"Well, I think pizza is a marvelous idea, but first, is there any way to get rid of the big black burn mark on the couch?" Victor asks.

"Uh, hey, anyone have spray paint?" I ask.

"I might." Rachel says, "I, uh, sometimes, not frequently, very rarely, help Victor with his car and I might have… borrowed some of his white spray paint to try to make the stains on my walls not show."

We exchange looks.

"I was wondering where that went." Victor says, taking the can. "I guess it is the same color as the couch, but what about the smell?"

"Fire doesn't make one unless it's burning something, I could burn the scent up and then filter that out…"

"NO MORE FIRE IN MY APARTMENT!" Dick growls, and I lose the idea instantly.

"How about this." Rachel reaches over and a ring of dark energy glows around her hands. A moment later, a towel flies through the room and lands on it.

"Hey, nice one!" Gar says.

A few minutes later, the doorbell rings, and we dash silently into the bathroom, except for Kori, who gets the pizza.

We got a strange selection. Part vegetarian, part all meat, part topped with mustard, ech, part Hawaiian, part pepperoni, and part normal. We wolf down the pizza until there's one piece left, one of the normal pieces. We all claim it at the same time, and glare at each other.

"That piece is mine." Victor growls.

"No way! I did a fall from two hundred feet up into a lake!" Dick snarls

"The piece is mine, I have no reason." Kori admits.

"No way, it's mine!" Gar says.

"I just got my powers to work!" Rachel adds.

"No way, THEY GOT MY FUCKING NAME WRONG!" I say, and fearing another fire, they shove it at me. I grin triumphantly and eat it.

They turn the TV back on, and this time, the show is worth watching. It's about us, sure, but it's also asking where we are, as a new criminal, called Dr. Light, rampages around town.

"I'm coming, I've got a disguise." Rachel says.

"I guess I got lucky they didn't see me last time. I'll stay." I say.

"I will go with you friend Rachel!" Kori says.

"Not Rachel, Raven." She says.

Gar smiles and says, "Nobody could ever recognize me like this, I'm in."

"I'm going, and that's final." Victor says.

Dick and I exchange looks. "I need a disguise, badly." I say.

"I have one for myself, a little something I found in Gotham." He leaves for a moment and returns as Robin. He has a domino mask, like comic Robin, a red shirt, gold belt, and green pants. His black wings give an ominous effect to the look.

Rachel has a cloak and what looks like a bikini and white leggings. The cloak and shoes are Navy Blue, and her belt and cloak fastener are gold, red and black.

Kori reveals that she's wearing hers.

They leave, and I decide to sneak out to create my own outfit.

First I sneak into my old house and steal a few old Halloween costumes and an old mask and bike helmet.

It takes a few hours, but I create my disguise.

I look in the mirror Kori had left in the tunnel.

I have a red, white, and yellow helmet on with a mask that conceals my eyes, a long sleeved red shirt with a yellow flame in the center, and a yellow skirt over white leggings.

I actually look quite cool in it. I can still sneak into Dick's apartment again, and manage to wait while watching them wrap up the fight and leave as the police show up.

They see me in normal cloths, because I'd changed before I came, and they also see the pack.

"You took two hours; I made a disguise while you were gone. I doubt I'll need it now, though. You made the news, by the way." I tell them.

"You can come next time. Now Gar and I need disguises." Victor says.

"You can head to your houses and make them, right?" I ask.

"My house? I can't appear to my parents while I'm green!" Gar whines, "Plus, they're planning on moving to a farm in Ireland!"

We freeze up. "You didn't tell us this why?" Dick asks.

"Because they're leaving me here, I'm eighteen, believe it or not, a legal adult." Gar says, "I just got held back a few years."

I roll my eyes, and we chatter a few minutes before dispersing.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

**Hello readers! I hope you're enjoying this story and would absolutely love more reviews. Thank you to the person who has already reviewed, BTW.**

**Anyways, enjoy the chapter and don't forget to review at the end!**

* * *

I find myself fighting crime tonight. There's a bank robbery, and no matter how small the threat, I should take it out.

I fly over the robbers and then shoot a warning blast of flame in front of them. They try to run, but I make a fiery ring around them and hover in front of them.

They dropped the money and put their hands up. The police swerved around the corner, so I flew high and extinguished the fire when they were close enough to arrest the criminals with no trouble.

One of the police men shouted, "Look, a vigilante!" and shot at me, but missed since I was already flying away.

I manage to see the newspaper again in the morning, and the silhouette of a bird girl is outlined against the moon on the picture of the front page. I grin and return the paper to the surface.

I manage to take the old tunnel below water to that island out in the bay. In my opinion, somebody should really build a house here.

I hear a strange thundering groan above my head and look up, then freeze. There is a meteor heading for the city!

I leap up and fly after it, trying to use the flames around it to slow its descent. I see Kori fly up and try to slow it with her flight and super strength, while using eye lasers for the first time to try and destroy it.

A green whale lands on it as kori flies away and I put out the fire.

Gar… I mean Animal (WTH is so wrong with me that I can't get Gar's ID right?) had stopped it.

The others arrived and we all cheer.

The whale's eyes get wide. Animal is lifted from the water and hurtled at me, and he transforms in the air at the last second, crashing and taking us both out of the air.

There's a boy in a black suit with an S in the middle in handcuffs standing there.

He jumps and almost achieves freaking flight and then plummets to the ground at the coast.

"Animal, would you be so kind to GET OFF ME?" I ask.

"Oh, um, hehe, sorry about that." He gets off me.

We all give chase. I fly as hard and fast as I can after the terror teen and find him destroying the pizza place.

The police start shooting at him, but their bullets all bounce off his skin like raindrops off pavement. The boy gives an enraged cry and leaps at them, totaling a police car.

I blast at him and it does nothing. Kori flies down and hits him in the face.

That seems to do something. He flies backwards and crashes into a wall. The police cheer for the good punch.

Then Supey shoots like a speeding bullet from the rubble, but is intercepted from his target by Robin's hit at super speed. The boy wonder slows a bit in the air and shoots up as Supey gets mad and tries a punch at him.

I'm about to attack when a black Raven puts itself between us fighters.

"Maybe fighting isn't the answer." Raven says, pointing to his handcuffs.

I understand and unlock them. He stares at me in shock and asks, "Why did you do that?"

"Because 1, you're trashing my town trying to get it off and 2, you trashed the pizza place, and I didn't want to risk the movie store." I say, sarcasm drizzling from my voice.

The police decided to leave. The rest of the gang approached.

"So what were you doing inside a meteor anyways?" Asks Cyborg.

"I hit that big rock on my way into the atmosphere." He says, "And then the escape pod I was in blew up."

"Yeah, that's great, but now you put us all on damage control, and what was that about an escape pod?" I ask.

There was another sound of wind screaming and I turn to see a huge metal T-shaped ship take a nose-dive into the island.

A holographic image came out of it.

"Attentions citizens of earth's Jump City," A hologram alien said, "A dangerous prisoner has just lande don your planet. Assist him and we will destroy your pathetic city. Resist us, and we will also destroy you."

A larger ship flew over the city with a huge laser cannon attached to it. Blue alien lizard thingies swarmed at it and began swarming the city.

"Oh, I get it." Animal says.

We look around. "Hey, where'd the alien dude go?" I ask.

It doesn't take long to find him. He's clever, in earth cloths, a black superman shirt with a red symbol and jeans and a belt. I walk up to him. He's in the movie store.

"I'll take these." He says, paying for a bunch of movies.

"He seems to know how earth works." I say, "Think he's related to Superman, you know, the guy who showed up in Metropolis yesterday?"

"Probably." Raven says.

We walk into the store where the lady isn't looking. Supey spots us.

"You heard that alien guy, if you're caught with me; your whole city gets blown to bits." He tells us. "It's a better idea if you leave me alone."

"Nah, we're here to help. They don't exactly sound like the good guys." Cyborg says.

"Well, thanks." Superboy says. (My new nickname for him.)

I now notice that Garfield has a disguise on. It's a purple and black jump suit with a silver belt. I almost smile, it looks natural on him.

Apparently Superboy notices the getup to He frowns. "Why are you all wearing spandex?"

"This is not spandex, but they are disguises." I say. "You weren't wearing much better when we first met up." I growl defensively.

The wall explodes and a bunch of the blue aliens charge in. "Get the half-kryptonian!" they scream.

I decide to take defensive. I blast the nearedt one with a column of fire, making sure not to burn them, of course.

He flies back out the hole, and his buddies get angrier and begin to attack.

"See, now you've pissed them off!" Supey snarls. He leaps and pounds the nearest one back through the hole, and Star gets the next. Rob runs one over and lands a few good hits on the others, driving them back.

Animal (Hey, I got it right this time!) jumps and turns into a velociraptor, attacking them.

Cyborg drives them out with his Sonic cannon, and we send them running.

The holo-device starts up again.

"We warned you not to help the prisoner, now your whole city will pay." The device cut out.

"We need to get up there and stop that weapon." I say.

"I can carry Cyborg and whatever your name is up to the ship, and the rest of us can fly." Raven says.

"Call me Superboy." He says.

I knew it.

"Well, I'm Flame Girl, that's Robin, he's Animal, she's Raven, she's Starfire, and he's Cyborg. The dude up on the building spying on us is Archer." I say the last part loudly.

"How did you know?" Archer asks, jumping down.

"Your orange hair gives you away." I say immediately.

"Well, no more time to delay, let's go blow up that cannon." Raven says, a bit enthusiastically for the Goth Girl.

An energy field expands below the three who can't fly, and we lift off.

A moment later, we hear Archer mutter something about heights.

We all exchange grins and keep going.

We enter the flying fortress a moment later. There is a long glowing tube, the gun they plan to shoot at us with, no doubt. I decide that sabotage would be a good idea, in case we can't shut it off. I start to burn the tubing.

"What're you doing?" Supey asks, wrinkling his nose as a revolting smell filled the tunnel.

"Failsafe." I say, and then star gets the message and tears off a pillar, jamming it through the hole. "If we can't shut it off, that'll save most of the city from the blast."

We continue forwards, and then I pause. "We have no idea where we're going."

I hack into the nearest info-port or whatever, and thankfully it's linked to the mainframe. I get a map of the entire complex in seconds.

"Okay, we can't carry the computer with us…" Supey starts.

"Don't have to, I just memorized it." I say, shutting it off.

"Can't you turn the gun off from here?" Asks Dick.

"The gun's not linked to the mainframe; I'll have to do it manually from the cockpit." I say, "Which is that way." I dart back the way we came.

I take the first right and knock out some aliens, and then the nearest left, others following behind.

I make it to the cockpit first and violently blow the door open. The aliens stop what they are doing and whirl to face us.

One, however, stays in his chair and it slowly turns to face us. It is obviously the leader of the blue flying lizard aliens.

He gets up and walks towards us. We get into defensive positions.

"You have sacrificed your city and declared war on the Gordanian empire by sheltering the half-kryptonian. If you surrender now, all of you, we will leave your city with minimal damage." He growls.

"I don't think so." Rob says.

He attacks with a blur of boy and feathers, slamming the Gordanian across the cockpit and into the windshield.

The others attack.

Animal turns into a T-Rex and Archer plugs their ranks full of arrows, Cyborg adding to the mix with his sonic cannon.

Star swoops gracefully over them and fires starbolts into the enemies until they take to the air as well.

Superboy noticeably doesn't like this. He lets out a war cry and leaps, pounding the head of the Gordanian nearest to Star.

Rob continues to fight the leader with Rae, and I get to work.

The first thing I do is convert the alien commands on the desk to English, I can't read all those weird symbols.

Next I get into the systems and around the security of the abandon firing sequence and begin to shut it off.

I can't finish the job, however. There is a non-by-passable confirmation key that five minutes of hacking won't solve.

I have to get Cyborg over here to hotwire it.

I plunge into the mass of Gordainans, firing left and right until I make it to Cy.

"Cy, I need you to hotwire the panel before I can shut it down!" I say over the screams of the fight.

"Glad to be helpful, clear a path!"

I make a huge column of fire stretch up from the ground, and then separates, forming a neat path.

"You know, I didn't mean literally." Cy says, and races to the panel.

I am about to follow when Animal in his human form and Robin come flying into me, and we smash against the wall.

At the bottom of the horizontal dog pile, I took the worst of it. Stars swim in my eyes and I feel pain rocketing up my spine.

I manage to see Archer giving Cyborg some cover fire.

I see the Gordanian leader approaching, taking his time to gloat.

"Rob, get off me, NOW." I warn him.

Robin leaps up and off with superhuman speed, and Gar, getting the message, moves to a safe distance.

I brace myself and let as much firepower as I can summon smash in an unbridled force at the beasts.

The Gordanian leader leaps aside, but others aren't so lucky. Over half of the enemy warriors are thrown while on fire out of the window.

As soon as it's done, I sway on my feet. The part of me that summons the fire is depleted, and the Gordanian leader thunders towards me.

I jump over the gordanian's back and land a solid kick on his back, causing him to stagger. He turns with surprising speed and I vault backwards and smile as Superboy throws another Gordanian at the alien.

The leader goes flying, but caught in the moment I don't see the blow from behind that sends me rocketing back into the wall and on top of Robin. Animal charges, but is momentarily thrown back at us, taking out Star and Supey along the way.

Cyborg finishes with a triumphant shout of, "Got it!" And then is thrown at the pile of us. Archer is thrown hard into the opposite wall, where Raven is recovering.

"Stay away from my friends," She growls, "Asarath Metrion Zinthos!" She almost screams as power shoots off her.

The explosion puts mine to shame. At least she shielded us from most of the blast.

We all hear alarms blaring as the ship begins to descend, touching the ocean and going down like Titanic.

Raven can't fly anymore, she, like myself, spent all available power on that blast.

Robin speeds over and grabs her, taking off and landing her at the island as I help Archer off.

Animal turns into a Petrodactyl and grabs Cy while Supey jumps and Star flies away.

In a few hours, we're all watching the news in Dick's apartment.

* * *

"The group popularly known as the Teen Titans saved the city from the threat of a race of Aliens known as the Gordanians. Their new ally, dubbed Superboy, seems to be an asset to their success.

"At any rate, the police have accepted their presence in Jump City, and are willing to work WITH the vigilantes they tried so hard at first to stop." The reporter says.

"The chief of police, after making this statement, resigned his position to a man named James Davidson, who has this to say."

"Citizens of Jump City, our beautiful home has become threatened suddenly by a rush of super powered and in this case: Alien threats. The result of this was a heroic group of teens willing to protect their city by doing what we could not.

"It is still unknown who they are or how they obtained their powers, but the police will respect their secrets as long as they continue to help return Jump City to the peaceful oasis it once was." He says.

"Wow, he's not at all like the other guy." Victor says.

"Yeah, not even a need to put out a fire on the couch this time." Gar laughs.

"There was a fire? Oh, wait." Roy gives me a quizzical look.

"They got my name wrong." I say dejectedly.

"Um, let's not get started on that again." Rachel says, looking at me warily.

"I'm sulking Raven. I'm over the anger stage of grieving." I joke.

"So, what did the other guy say to make you mad enough to light the couch on fire?" Superboy (Who named himself Conner Kent) asks.

"Let's just say he said some, not nice things about us after our first mission." Kori says.

We all see the faces Kori and Superboy make at each other, and Dick had steam coming out of his ears ad he deflated, hair looking like it was on fire. His teeth were about to start grinding at super speed when I whisper, "It's okay Dick, calm down…"

Conner hears me, I'm sure, but does not respond.

Dick lets out a breath and turns his attention back on the TV.

I walk to the window, still in costume, and say, "You know, that big space thing shouldn't, and won't, be left unused forever, and the Teen Titans need a HQ…"


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

**Hello Readers! I hope you like the Gordanian thing, and to the people who are confused about Superboy, he was originally a member of the Teen Titans in the comics or whatever. I figured since he's half Kryptonian and kick-ass, I could use him instead of Starfire for that part of the story.**

**Anyways, I'd love feedback, and I KNOW people like this story. Anyways, I hope you enjoy, and there will be a time break here.**

* * *

A year later

We stare at the completed tower. It is T shaped with lots of windows. Dick's rich boy status got it completely furnished in a month, too.

We enter, gawking at the place we'll be living at from now on.

"Well, what're we waiting for? Let's go get lost!" Cyborg shouts loudly, and he and Animal race ahead of us.

"I wish to find my room." Starfire says, flying down the hall.

"I'll go with Star." Supey says, darting after her.

"I think I'll go see what's in the fridge." Archer says, waking up the hall.

I dart over to a computer port and get a map. "I didn't even have to hack it!" I say, grinning at the simple laziness that came with the feeling.

"So, where're you heading?" Asks Robin.

"My room." I say.

"Cool, but first, since you're a hacker and all, I decided to get you something that goes with your style." Dick fastens something around my wrist. I gasp.

"It's a fireproof wrist computer." He says, "You can use it to hack all you want, and you can't break it."

"Thanks Rob!" I grin, "You'd better have gotten Star something too, though." I say.

This past year, Star and Supey have, well, bonded. They seem to hang out more and more, and she has less and less time for Rob, until she's hardly seeing him anymore.

"I did, but I'm not sure she'll take it the way I want her to." He scuffs his feet.

We head up to our rooms.

His room is next door to mine, and we part ways there.

I enter my room and gasp. Orange, white, and red are my favorite colors. Here they are in spades. My walls are a soft molted white and orange, like flickering lights, and I have curtains of a soft red color. My bed is small in a corner, with dark red blankets that fit more of the burgundy shade.

The wood and my furniture are black so I can see it. I have a desk in one corner, and a large closet with lots of my uniform in it, plus lots of supplies and Jujitsu weapons for just in case.

I smile to myself. This is all totally my style. There's a bookshelf waiting to be filled with my action novels, and a rack of shelves for personal possessions.

The large window overlooking the town is also cool; I can see the whole city from here, no joke.

I smile and begin to stash my meager pile of possessions inside the drawers and a few books I'd bought on the shelf.

I have five. One is the first book in the Divergent series, three are the Hunger games, Catching Fire, and Mockinjay, and the last one is City of Bones.

As soon as I'm done marveling at my new room, I go to the main room.

Archer has finished eating; Rachel is nowhere to be seen, and probably exploring. Star and Supey are still gone; I have my worries about what they're doing.

Cyborg and Animal are playing video games.

Dick walks in a moment later, smiling. "So, how do you like it?" He asks.

"Great! They seem to like it." I say, pointing at the trio that has already made themselves at home.

Archer looks up from plugging in the radio. "What?" He asks.

"Nothing." We say, and then I notice something. "Actually, Roy, you have bedhead."

He freaks out like a girl an opera singer realizing that his pants gave him muffin top.

Dick and I snicker at his retreat.

"Jeeze, how did you know that would set him off?" Dick asks.

"Because of the way he reacted to a loose strand of hair in his newspaper photo." I say, "He thought the world was ending."

An indignant cry of, "I did not!" Echoes down the hallway.

We just laugh and walk into the room.

It's nice enough, but when I open the fridge, it's as sad as a graveyard. Archer ate almost all of the sweets.

"Goanna get him for that." I mutter, closing the fridge after taking out a protein bar.

"Nope, you are NOT getting first place!" Cyborg says.

"Move over you big greasy lump!"Animal growls. Then he lets out an irritating depressed wail.

"YES! IN YOUR FACE GRASS STAIN!" Cyborg celebrates. He's won the game.

Starfire and Superboy walk into the room together, and Robin looks like he's goanna blow when we see they're holding hands.

Starfire looks depressed but lets go of Superboy, and then says, "Robin, I would like to have the talk with you."

I wince in sympathy as Robin's face goes blank. Who knows how long it's goanna take to get over her? She's dumping him for a team mate!

Superboy gives Robin a look of pure sympathy as Robin gives an expression I've nicknamed Bird Self pity to Starfire and they walk out of the main room.

I throw the protein bar away and say, "I'm suddenly not hungry."

I don't walk away though. I give a fiery glare at Superboy and then walk over to Animal and Cyborg.

"This is bad, this is really bad." Cy keeps saying. We don't even notice as Raven approaches.

"What's bad?" She asks.

"I think Starfire's breaking up with Robin." I say.

Her face is horrified, and then it returns to Zen mode. "I saw it coming, but never thought it would end this way."

A moment later, Starfire re-enters the main room, but Robin does not. Star looks like she wants to cry, and I know where Rob is going.

I head over to his room and go in without permission.

My spiky-haired best friend has his head hung and eyes directed to the floor. I take my helmet off.

"Why did we have to find Superboy? Is HE really so great?" He asked, voice cracking.

I don't know what to say. I've never dated a guy in my life, never known what kind of turmoil he's in right now because I've never had a breakup.

So all I say is, "Dick, I'm sorry," I feel my own sorrow welling up in my throat, "I truly am."

He gives a false smile and looks at me. "You really are. I can always tell with you. It's like that with Star and Animal, too. Even Rachel's inner emotions tend to come out."

"You always were one for dry humor." I say, but do not offer a smile. I know it would probably just upset him more.

"When you first came here, you were getting over your breakup with Barbra Gordon. You found comfort in doing the things you always loved to do, and still do. I remember when we first met Kori, we beat up a mugger and you won her affection from the beginning." I say.

He grins, but painfully. "She was scared at first, thought we were more muggers and gave you a nice shiner on the left eye."

"When you were in Gotham, you never told you what you liked to do before you met Barbra." I say, "Maybe we could do some of those things to cheer up."

"I played a bunch of sports, I did schoolwork, I went to parties with Bruce, and I ran around town looking for trouble. Bruce always reprimanded me for being a little renegade for it." He says, "I also went down to the beach a lot, there was one behind the manor. There was also a cave underneath it, my friends and I used to dare each other to go down without being swarmed by bats."

I realize that I'm succeeding in my ploy to take his mind off Star. I hate seeing my friends miserable, and don't think Star deserves the comfort.

"That's why you liked the subway tunnels when you first came here, it reminded you of home." I say.

He nods, seeming to have Star off his mind.

"There's a beach here, and there's a tunnel beneath the island, that's how I got here for the first time." I tell him, "And if you want to hit something, there are punching bags in the training room downstairs."

He lets out a soft coughing laugh, and then lets a more genuine smile cover his face. "You always were one for dry humor." He steals my line.

I punch him in the arm, he laughs again, and then darkens. I realize I've done something wrong to remind him of Kori.

"I should leave, huh?" I ask, and to my surprise, he shakes his head.

"No, please stay. You're helping, actually. I just remembered How Kori and I used to roughhouse each other before we were a couple."

"No hitting; got it," I say, "My hands are to myself." I add after a moment's thought.

"You sound like Wally West, one of my old friends." Dick says.

"Someone named their kid Wally?" I ask incredulously.

Dick laughs weakly.

We continue on for the rest of the day, and my temples are hurting by the time I head back to my room. Star passes me, and I give her a glare equivalent in rage to the devil's own face.

She cringes and walks into her room. I almost feel guilty.

Almost.

I head back to my window and close the curtains, changing into pajamas, and then climb into bed, falling into a deep sleep.

* * *

When I wake up, I have no idea where I am.

I freak for a moment before remembering I'm in my room in the tower. I glance at the clock, seven A.M.

I jump up and bring my cloths into the bathroom, shower, and change, then head back into my room and stash my pajamas.

I walk into the main room, where to my surprise Robin is up and about. I guess that day-long chat really helped.

Starfire is in the kitchen with Superboy, who is helping her make weird food that is certainly NOT Italian. I look into the pot and stare at what appears to be slop.

"It's a Kryptonian recipe." Conner explains. I wrinkle my nose and refrain from making a rude comment before walking away.

Raven is reading a book at the table, and Cyborg, Animal, and Archer are still watching their action movie marathon.

I tap Archer on the shoulder, and he doesn't move. Then I get an idea.

I grab something gooey from Superboy and slap it on Roy's hairdo. He doesn't hotice. I rub it around and then take a picture of it on my phone.

"So going on Facebook." I say, and post it as I speak.

"That's mean, but funny." Conner laughs. "Can I post that on my blog?"

"Sure, it was your food." I say, and send him the photo. Superboy posts it on his blog.

"You guys are so immature." Raven says from her book, and then continues reading.

I go over to Roy and whisper, "You've, ah, got a little something in your hair."

He wakes up and touches his hair, freaking out even worse than last time and running away.

"Ugh, AHH, what was that!?" Animal jerks up.

"Archer got a little something in his hair." I say, "And freaked out like the world was coming to an end."

"Dude, what is it with him and his hairdo?" Asks Cyborg, waking up. They turned back to the movie.

I walk over to Robin, who seems still a bit dejected and ask, "How're you doing?"

"Better than yesterday. How's your throat holding up?"

"Never got sore, to my surprise. I'm shocked all that gabbing didn't give you a migraine." I reply.

"Looks like you got one." He says.

"I did." I add, "But I got over it in a few seconds. The things never last."

"So, wanna go try out the training room?" He asks.

"Sure!" I say. He and I head off in that direction.

"Oh, and by the way, what you did to Archer was really mean, but at the same time funny." He says. "I can't believe you posted that photo online AND gave it to Superboy so HE could post it online."

"I couldn't help it, first, I probably ruined the creature that Superboy and Starfire were creating as food, and second, I got my sweet revenge for the whole Flame girl thing AND for eating everything in the fridge." I say.

"Oh, you mean when he called you Flame Girl, some bystanders heard and reported it!" Rob laughed.

"I'll wipe that off your face!" I say as we enter the training room, but his laughter is contagious and I start laughing with him.

We stop a few seconds later and catch our breath.

Now we survey the training room and both set eyes on the sparring circle. We exchange grins. "Never got to practice against each other in Jujitsu," I say, "This could be interesting."

We exchange blows for a while, trying unsuccessfully to land one. Soon I just flip backwards, forcing him to dart forwards, and then duck and snap my foot out and whirl, standing and knocking his feet out from under him.

"Oww." He says, peeling himself off the floor.

"I win." I smile.

"Tripping me wasn't a fighting move!" Robin protests.

"Anything that works short of killing you goes." I say.

"I demand a rematch!" He shouts.

"Good, cause you're on." I reply, grinning evilly.

Then we hear a duo of voices as Superboy and Starfire walk in to practice. Seeing this just made Robin depressed again and he said, "You know, I'd rather not, I changed my mind."

I know I have to go after him and will anyways, it's what friends are for. He would do the same for me. So after giving Star and Supey a loathing glare, I dart after Rob.

I catch up to him as he goes up onto the roof.

"Hey, Rob." I say.

He gives me a blank look. Just when he was cheering up he had to get reminded about Starfire. I know I can't really blame either of them, they grew apart, but still, it was hurtful and he didn't deserve that, even if everyone saw it coming.

"So, come to talk to me until I cheer up again?" He asks.

"Nah, the same trick never works twice. I just had to come after you. It's what friends are for." I reply, standing next to him. We stare at the ocean for a while.

"You really are a good friend, then. What did I do wrong?" He asks.

"You did nothing wrong, Rob. Star is the one who made the mistake, but don't hate her for it. Instead, try and get the friendship you once shared with her going again. You don't need to date a girl to hang out with her." I joke.

He shakes his head at me. "I don't know how you do it."

"Do what?" I ask, confused.

"You always know exactly what to say to take my mind off things." He replies.

"I really don't. I just blurt things out and hope they sound good." I reply.

"There you go doing it again!" He says, letting out a soft bark of laughter.

I shake my head. This wasn't the conversation I expected. I hear the tower alarms go off. "Trouble!"

We're down town where a group of villains are robbing a bank. They look like they work for Slade. The name sends chills down my spine. I shoot one in the chest and it flies backwards.

Then it sparks, mask falling off. They're robots!

"Cool, robots, we don't need to hold back!" Archer shouts, plugging the crowd full of exploding arrows.

But all of this feels like a distraction, why would Slade rob a bank? He seems to have all the money he needs already.

I stop and turn on my wrist computer, and find what I'm looking for. More sladebots are attacking Wayne Tech a few blocks over.

"There are more robbing Wayne tech!" I shout, "I'll go take them out!"

"Count me in!" Rob shouts.

"Don't even think about leaving me behind!" Archer adds.

We take off and I carry Archer onto the nearest roof, he can continue from there. I'm not a taxi.

We bird people bust through the windows and attack the unprepared bots as they turn to face us. A moment later, Archer joins us.

They sent a relatively small force here, but before the guards had been taken out, they'd stopped a good few of them.

We flew the guards down t the ambulance and then headed back up to Archer, and then headed back to the robbery, which had been stopped.

"They didn't even take any money!" Cyborg shouted.

"That's because it was a distraction. They blew open the vault doors and left, in order to distract us from the Wayne Tech robbery a few blocks over. They were after a thermal blaster and some Xenothium." I explain, landing.

"What's Xenothium?" Asks Animal, scratching his head.

"We'll talk at the tower. I want out of here before the press shows up." I say. We all leave just as on cue: The press shows up yelling at us for interviews. Hey, if they don't get here in time, they don't get interviews! :D

I can almost feel their disappointment as we all get back to the tower.

I land on the roof by myself and decide a little swim couldn't hurt. I get on a bikini and go to the beach, swimming as soon as I'm there.

It feels colder than I'm used to, but I decide to tough it out. I did decide to be Ms fire, so if it's cold that's my fault.

I dive underwater and use some of my powers to make the salt stay away from my eyes and open them. It's cool, and I can see the reef perfectly.

All the fish don't seem to mind my presence at all. I unfurl my wings and use them to propel me through the water, and realize that I don't have to use my arms and legs anymore.

It's like flying through water. I'm even going faster than usual.

Soon I have to come up for air and circle back towards the beach, where I find the others took my idea. It's a full out beach party. I dive and bump into a green dolphin.

Animal waves at me with his flipper and speeds around the island.

I swim back to the reef, and then shoot up to avoid a jellyfish. I make it back to shore soon, and the rest of the party is going.

I roll my eyes and wipe water away from them.

"How do you swim with those?" Dick asks, approaching me.

"I use them to swim instead of my arms and legs. It's flying underwater." I reply.

"Cool."

I note that he has not removed his mask since the day we moved here. I ask him about it. "Hey D, how come you never take that thing off anymore?"

"New me and new façade," He says.

"Ah, I see." I reply, "So I should call you Robin all the time."

He laughs and shakes his head.

I grin, but notice how he and Star are avoiding each other. I guess it's for the best.

"Well, I didn't come out here to party, I just came for a swim, so I'm heading in now. Beach parties have never really been my thing." I say.

I've always been self conscious of the scar on my stomach, I'd rather not say how I got it, but whenever anyone sees it, I'm made fun of.

Now Dick notices and asks, "Where'd you get that?"

I stiffen, waiting for a sarcastic remark after. He sees my discomfort and replies, "I guess I shouldn't have asked."

I head inside, cheeks flushed bright red. I could feel his gaze on my back until the door closes. I can only wonder why it felt so much worse when he noticed.


End file.
